Combination door check and door holder



May 5, l1964 w. J. KuRowsKl 3,131,421

COMBINATION DCoR CHECK AND DooR HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7, 1962 [III/I1 l INVENTOR. WALTER J. KURowsKl BY m n ATTORNEYS May 5, 1964 w. J. KURowsKl 3,131,421

COMBINATION DOOR CHECK ANO DOOR HOLDER Filed Feb. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIOZ United States Patent C) 3,131,421 COMBINATION DOOR CHECK AND DOOR HOLDER Walter Joseph Kurowski, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Aluminum Refrigerator Door Co., inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 171,672 8 Claims. (Cl. 11i- 82) This invention relates to doors, particularly refrigerator doors of the `general construction disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,987,782, issued June 113, 19611, to Alu- Retrigerator Door Co., Inc. on the application of Walter I. Kurowski.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new land improved door construction utilizing a combination door check and door holder, adapted to limit the opening movement of the door, and to provide a catch for holding the door open, when desired.

A further object is to provide a new and improved door construction in which the door is removable from the door iframe by raising the door a short distance so as to disengage the lower hinge pin from its socket member, `and in which the door is also disengaged Ifrom the door check mechanism by raising the door.

Another object is to provide la new and improved door construction havinur a check member which is pivotally movable with the door and is connected to the door by disengageable pin and socket elements. e

A further object is to provide a new and improved door construction of the foregoing character in which the pin member is formed `with a movable stop element adapted to engagea Med stop element on the door frame, so as to limit the opening movement of the door.

Another object is to provide such -a new and improved door construction in which the check member is formed with a second movable stop element adapted to be engaged by a movable catch on the frame, so that the door may be held in an open position, to Ifacilitate free movemen-t of materials or the like through the doorway.

yFurther objects :and advantages ofthe present invention will appear lfrom the `following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 Iis ya fragmentary vfront elevational View showing a door construction to be described as an illustrative embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is -a horizontal section, taken generally alo-ng a line 2 2 in vlFIG. l, with the door in its closed position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the door in its fully open position.

FIG. 4 is a View similar to FIG. 1 but showing the door in its open position, the door being shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a Afragmentary vertical section, taken generally along a line 5-5 in lFIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken ,generally along a line 6 6 in lFlG. 3. n

FIG. 1 illustrates a door 1G which may be of the general construction disclosed and claimed in the previously mentioned Kurowski Patent No. 2,987,782, issued June 13, 1961. The illustrated door 1li is intended particularly for use in connection with refrigerated display cabinets of the type frequently employed in marke-ts or the like to display dairy products or frozen foods. However, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other types of doors. The illustrated door 110K is mounted on a frame 12 -which may be `secured to the display cabinet 14, a `fragment of which is shown in FIG. 2. The frame 12 may extend entirely around the four edges of the door 10. It will be apparent from the drawings that the door is swingable outwardly so that the customer may remove merchandise `from the display cabinet.

The door |10 itself is bordered by ya rectangular frame 16 comprising horizontal :and vertical frame members 18 and 2t). An insulating glass panel 22 is mounted in the yframe 16. The vglass panel 22 may be of the well known type having a plurality of `glass panes 24 with a hermetically sealed' space `26 therebetween.

Hinge means 128 are provided to mount the door 10 for swinging movement in the lstationary frame 12 about a substantially vertical axis at the left-hand vertical edge of the door. Suc-h hinge means may be of the general type disclosed and claimed in the previously mentioned Kurowski Patent No. 2,987,782, to which reference may lbe had -for a detailed description. The hinge means 28 permit easy removal of the door v10 from the brame 12, simply by lifting the door ,and moving its flower end outwardly away from the drame 12. Thus, the hinge construction 28 comprises a 'lower hinge pin 301 (FIG. 5) which is disengageably received in a bore 32 formed in a socket member or bushing 314. In this case, the hinge pin .3S is mounted on the `trarne 12, while the socket member 34 is on the door 10, but this situation could be reversed. The illustrated hinge pin v3G has a lower end portion 36 which `is externally threaded and is screwed into la .threaded :bore 3S formed in the Iframe 12. A wrench engaging flange 40` is =formed on the hinge pin 30 above the threaded mounting portion 36. As shown, rthe flange 40 is hexagonal in shape. The threaded bore 318 is :formed in .a horizontal member 42 on the lower end of the frame `12. 4I-t will be lseen that the hexagonal flange 4l! engages and projects above the horizontal frame member 42.

The bushing or socket member 34 has a reduced upper portion 44 which is press iitted :or otherwise secured in a bore 46 formed' in a horizontal wall r48 on the lower border member 18 of the door 16. The hinge pin 30 and theA bore 32 define the Vertical axis about which the door 1 is swingable.

It will be evident that fthe soctket member 34 may be disengaged drom the hinge pin 30i by raising the door 10 until the lower end 'of the socket member clears the upper end of the hinge pin 30u The lower end of the door may fthen tbe moved outwardly away `from the stationary frame 12. -As explained in the Kurolwski IPaJtent No. 2,987,782, the door may then be moved downwardly to disengage the upper hinge pin from the upper socket member (not shown in the present application).

It is preferable that the door be provided lwith a door closer mechanism (not shown) which may tcornprise'a spring adapted to shut the door and to hold it in a closed posi-tion. The door closer may be of the construction disclosed vand claimed in the Kur-owski Patent No. 2,987,782. Other suitable door closets will be'known to those skilled in the art. As shown to advantage in FIG. 4, the door '10 is preferably provided with a gasket 50 which engages the stationary supporting Aframe i12 when the door is its closed position, so las to form a seal between the door and the supporting frame.

The illustrated door 10 is provided [with fa combination door check and door closer mechanism 52 which the extent to which the door may be swung outwardly and also provides means whereby the doo-r may be held in its open position, to facilitate the loading of merchandise into the display cabinet through the doorway. The illustrated mechanism 52 comprises a check plate or member 54" which is pivotally mounted on the lower horizontal wall' 4210i the door trame 12, for swinging movement with the door 10. In this case, the hinge pin 30 which supports the door 10 is `also employed as a pivot for the check plate 54. Thus, the check plate 54 is formed with a rather large bore 56 which is rotatably received Iaround the hexagonal flange 40 of the hinge pin 30.

rEhe check mechanism 52 is `arranged so that it does not Patented May `5., 1964n interfere with the easy removal of the door 10` from. the frame 12. Thus, a disengageable pin-and-socket connection S8 is pnovided between the door 16 and the check plate 54. In this case, `a pin 69 is mounted on the door 10 and is disengageably received in a bore or socket 62 -iormed in the check plate 54. As shown to advantage in FIG. S, the 60 may take the form of a threaded rod which extends through a bore 64 in the wall 4S and is clamped to the wall by means of upper and lower nuts 66 and 68 which are threaded onto the pin '60. It will be evident that the .pin 60 is readily disengageable from the socket 62 when .the door is raised.

The check plate 54 cooperates with a iixed stop 70 to limit .the extent 'to which the door may be opened. Thus, the door -may be limited to an opening movement of approximately 90 degrees. Such limitation prevents damage to the door and interference with yadjacent doors. in this case, the fixed stop 70 takes the form of Ia screw fwhich is connected to the stationary frame v12. The illustrated screw 70 has a threaded lower portion 72 (FIG. which is screwed into a threaded bore 74 formed in a bushing 76. An externally threaded portion 78 on the bushing 76 is threaded into a bore 89 in the horizontal wall 42 of the frame 12. A hexagonal tiange S2 may be provided on the lower end of the bushing 76 to engage the underside of the wall 42. It will be apparent that the bushing 76 reinforces the opening in the wal-l 42` and provides a firm and durable mounting .for the screw 7 t).

1It will be seen that the stop screw 70 is engageable by a movable stop element 84 on the check plate 54. In this case, the stop element 84 takes the 'form :of an outwardly projecting member at one end of an arcuate edge 86 movable ladjacent lthe stop screw 7 0. As shown, the screw 70 has an enlarged head 88 which overlaps the arcuate edge 86 so as to hold the check plate 54 `against the upper side of the horizontal wall 42. At the end opposite from the stop y84, the arcuate edge y86 terminates in an outwardly projecting edge 90 which is adjacent the screw 70 when the door ll is in its closed position.

In order that the door 10 may be held open, the mechanism 5-2 'also comprises ya movable catch 92 which is er1- gageable with a second movable stop 94 on the check plate 54. As shown, the stop 94 takes the form of an outwardly projecting edge spaced fnom the stop 84 and lfacing in the opposite direction. The illustrated catch `92 is in the form of a lever which is swingable about a pivot screw, rivet or other fastener 95, mounted on a ventical 'wall port-ion 96 of the frame i12. As shown, the vertical fwall 96 projects upwardly from the rear edge portion .of the horizontal wall 42. The illustrated catch lever 92 has a downwardly projecting iinger or lug 9S which is movable into engagement with the stop 94, as shown to `advantage in FIG. 6 The lever 92 has an operating arm 100 with a forwardly turned grip or handle y102 thereon.

Normally, the catch lever 92 is in the position shown in FIG. '1. This normal position is shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. -In this position, the operating i190 rests against the horizontal wall 42, while the catch ringer 98 is raised above the level tot the stop 94. When it is desired to latch the door '10 in its fully open position, the lever 92 is swung ina counterclockwise direction (for left hand doors and clockwise for right hand doors) into the position shown in full lines in FlG. 6. Such movement of the lever 92 moves the ringer 98 into the path of the movable stop 94 so as to prevent the door from closing. Norm-ally, the spring door closer holds the stop 94 against the iinger 98 and thereby frictionally retains the lever 92 in its latching position. The lever 92 may be arranged to return by gravity to its original inactive position when the pressure between the stop 94 and the finger 98 is relieved by swinging the door to a slight extent in its opening direction.

It will ,be evident that the present invention provides effective means for limiting the opening movement of the door, while making provision for latching the door in its open position. The mechanism of the present invention provides for easy removal of the door, simply by raising the door until the lower hinge pin and the lower hinge pin socket lare disengaged from each other. Such lifting of the door disengages the coupling pin 60 from the socket 62 in the check 'plate 54. With .all of its other advantages, the mechanism of the present invention is extremely compact and inexpensive to manu-facture.

Various modiiications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exempliiied in the ioregoing description and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a combination door check and holder, the combination comprising nrst and second members, hinge means connecting said iirst member to said second member for swinging movement about `a .pivot-al axis, ia check .plate swingably mounted on said second member -for pivotal movement about said axis, said plate having an opening therein at a point spaced from said axis, a pin on said iirst member and disengageably received in said opening for swinging said pla-te with said iirst member, a fixed stop on said second member, Ia movable stop on said plate and engageable with said fixed stop to limit the opening movement of said door, a latching element on said plate, and a l-atching lever swingably mounted on said second member and having a latching member engageable with said latching element when said iirst member is swung into `a predetermined position for holding said iirst member in said position.

2. In a combination door cheek and holder, the combination comprising iirst and second members, hinge means connecting said first member to said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal axis, said hinge means comprising a hinge pin on one of said members and a socket element on the other of the said members and disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said rst and second members being separable by moving said first member away from said second member along said axis to withdraw said hinge pin lfrom said socket element, a check plate swingably mounted on said second member for pivotal movement about said axis, a coupling pin disposed on said first member at a point spaced from said axis, an opening in said check plate and disengageably receiving said coupling pin, said check plate thereby being swingable with said lrst member, a ixed stop pin on said second member, a first movable stop element on said plate and engageable with said stop pin Ifor limiting lthe swinging movement of said first member in one direction, a second movable stop element on said plate, and a lever swingably mounted on said second member and Ihaving a catch portion eng-ageable with said second movable stop element for holding said first member in a predetermined position.

3. In a combination door check `and holder, the combination comprising first and second members, hinge means mounting said first mem-ber on said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal axis, a check member mounted on said second member for pivotal move` ment about said axis, disengageable coupling elements on said rst member and said check member for moving said check member With said irst member, a fixed stop element on said second member, a iirst movable stop element on said check member and engageable with said iirst stop element lfor limiting the swinging movement of said first member, -a second movable stop element on said check member, and a catch movably mounted on said second member for engaging said second movable stop element to hold said iirst member in a predetermined position.

4. In a door check, the combination comprising rst and second members, Ahinge means disengageably' connecting said iirst member to said second member for swinging movement about a predetermined axis, said hinge means including disengageable pin and socket elements for connecting said members, said pin and socket elements being disengageable from each other by moving said first member away .from said second member along said axis, a check member mounted on said second member for pivotal movement about said axis, second pin and socket elements connected between said first member and said check member for moving said check member with said first member, said second pin and socket elements being disengageable from each other by moving said first member away from said second member along said axis, a fixed stop element on said second member, and a movable stop element on said check member and engageable with said fixed stop element for limiting the swinging movement of said rst member.

5. In a combination door check and holder, the combination comprising rst and second members, hinge means disengageably connecting said iirst member to said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal axis, said hinge means including disengageable pin and socket elements for interconnecting said members, said pin `and socket elements -being discngageable from each other by moving said first member away from said second member along said `axis, a check member swingably mounted on said second member for pivotal movement about said axis, second pin and socket elements connected between said first member and said check member for swinging said check member with said `first member, said second pin and socket elements being disengageable from each other by moving said rst member away from said second member along said axis, a fixed stop element on said second member, a movable stop element on said check member fand engageable with said ,fixed stop element for limiting the swinging movement 'of said first member, and releasable `catch means on said check member and said second member 4for holding said first member in a predetermined position.

l6. In a combination door check and holder, the combination comprising first and second members, hinge means disengageably connecting said first member to said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal axis, said hinge means including disengageable pin and socket elements for interconnecting said members, said pin and socket elements being disengageable brom each other by mowing said first member away from said second member along said axis, -a cheek member swingably mounted on -said second member for pivotal movement about said axis, second pin and socket :elements connected between said first member and said check member for swinging said check member vwith said first member, said second pin and socket elements Ibeing disengageable from each other by moving said first member away fnom said second member along said axis, a fixed stop element on said second member, -a rst movable stop element on said check member and engageable with said fixed element for limiting the swinging movement of said iirst member, a second movable stop element on said check member, and a catch movably mounted on said second member for engaging said second movable stop element to hold said rst member in a predetermined position.

7. In a combination door check and holder, the combination |comprising irst and second members, hinge means connecting said first member to said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal taxis, a check member swingably mounted on said second member for pivotal movement about said taxis, disengageable coupling elements on said first member and said check member for swinging said check member with said first member, a ixed stop element ion said second member, a movabile stop element on said check member and engageable with said fixed element for limiting the swinging movement of said first member, and disengageable means on second check member and said second member for holding said first member in a predetermined position.

8. In a combination door check and holder, the combination comprising first and second members, hinge means connecting said lirst member to said second member for swinging movement about a pivotal axis, said hinge means comprising first yand second hinge elements on said first and second members, one of said hinge elements including a hinge pin and the other including a socket element disengageably receiving said hinge pin, said irst and second hinge elements being disengageable from each other by' moving said iii-st member away from said second member along said Kaxis to withdraw said hinge pin from said socket element, a check plate lia-ving a fir-st opening received around said hinge element on said second member, said check pl-ate thereby being swingably movable about said pivotal axis, a coupling pin projecting from said iirst member, a second opening in said check plate and disengagealbly receiving said coupling pin, said check plate thereby being swingable with said iirst member, a fixed stop on said second member, a first movable stop element on said plate and engageable with said xed stop for limiting the swinging movement of said tirst member, a second movable stop element on said plate, and a catch mov-ably mounted on said .second member and engageable with said second movable stop element for holding said first member in a predetermined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 731,342 Coffman June 16, 1903 2,045,837 Creber June 30, 1936 2,722,035 Johnson Nov. l, 1955 2,738,987 McDonald Mar. 20, 1956 2,914,792 Campbell Dec. 1, 1959 2,987,782 Kurowski June 13, 19611 

1. IN A COMBINATION DOOR CHECK AND HOLDER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, HINGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST MEMBER TO SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS, A CHECK PLATE SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID AXIS, SAID PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN AT A POINT SPACED FROM SAID AXIS, A PIN ON SAID FIRST MEMBER AND DISENGAGEABLY RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING FOR SWINGING SAID PLATE WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER, A FIXED STOP ON SAID SECOND MEMBER, A MOVABLE STOP ON SAID PLATE AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIXED STOP TO LIMIT THE OPENING MOVEMENT OF SAID DOOR, A LATCHING ELEMENT ON SAID PLATE, AND A LATCHING LEVER SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND MEMBER AND HAVING A LATCHING MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCHING ELEMENT WHEN SAID FIRST MEMBER IS SWUNG INTO A PREDETERMINED POSITION FOR HOLDING SAID FIRST MEMBER IN SAID POSITION. 